Unforgiven
by nerdsandlairs
Summary: Follow up to 'Persuade Me'. Five months after being disconnected from 2149, the colony has begun preparations for the future, however Skye is haunted by the past. Unfortunately for her, Lucas isn't so forgiving. Follows all of the beloved Terra Novians. A messy Lucket story. Rated M for language, violence and adult situations.
1. Surprise

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra Nova. Obviously.**

 **Rated M for a reason.**

 **I am a vain creature, so I'm more likely to update faster with follows and reviews.**

* * *

 **Surprise [ser-prahyz] Verb;**

 ***To strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as though unexpectedness.**

 ***To come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly.**

Five months had gone since the events which cut off Terra Nova from 2149. The camp had been repaired, and life within was nearly back to normal, save for the mystery of the Badlands, as well as the retreat of the mercenaries, and unknown whereabouts or condition of Lucas Taylor. It was held to vote by the leadership of the camp to seek out the Badlands once the everything was back to normal, and they felt comfortable leaving the base without their Commander and Sheriff to protect it.

Even with the base properly defended and maintained, and the base systems all working without so much as a glitch, there were a few people who could not shake a feeling of worry as to survival. Namely one Skye Alexandria Tate.

She had grown distant, the once independent extrovert girl had turned into what Josh would refer to as a 'dead star', and even though the pair had grown close, there was no breaking down the wall Skye had built.

"It's a psychological effect of pulling the trigger, Skye." Commander Taylor muttered with grief. "Even if you did it for all the right reasons, there's a chance you'll have a bad aftermath."

Skye nodded at the comment sitting before his desk, her eyes constantly flashing to the little pieces that reminded her of Lucas, the stains of whiskey, damaged furniture, but she never looked to the door to the bedroom. Shooting him may have brought on some of this PTSD, as Doctor Shannon confirmed, but of the things he did, things he made her feel, and what she did, that was what stuck with her.

"Does it ever go away?" She asked softly, her eyes meeting his, and those eyes gave her little hope.

"Sometimes, but give it time, Skye. Give it time." He whispered as he got to his feet and patted her shoulder. "You did the right thing, stop beating yourself up over it. Trust me."

"Do you think he's out there still?" Skye asked nervously, making the Commander sigh once more.

"I do. Where, I don't know, maybe he managed to reunite with those mercs, but in any case, you shouldn't have to fear him. I've issued the command to all the troops to take him out on sight. I can't risk the camp over him. Not again." Skye nodded once more as she wiped her eyes and got to her feet, leaving without a proper goodbye.

Making her way into the camp's square, she was greeted by Josh along with her house mates. They all smiled and waved her to approach. With her hesitance she made her way over.

"Hey Skye, Josh here was thinking about getting back to Snakehead, and you know, I think since we did help reinforce the camp, we could use a little R and R, ya know?" Hunter said with a grin, clearly still searching for her affections. "You in?"

Skye dished out her best 'everything is alright' smile and shook her head.

"No guys, it's cool. I think I'm just gonna call it a day." She affirmed before moving away, but not before Josh caught the back of her arm.

"Hey, Skye, just wait a second-" Josh started before she managed to break the grip and continued on. Relentless, he followed after her.

"Another lone wolf day?" Josh asked in tow, shaking his head. "You really need to let it loose Skye. I mean come on, we survived, act like it maybe?"

Without warning Skye turn on her heel and shoved Josh back, catching him off guard.

"WE survived, but not everyone survived." Skye spat, instantly seeing guilt form on the boy's face, but she continued. "And you know what, yea, you're right, I should be happy. I'm sorry, maybe I should just forget that Washington died to get you out to safety, or maybe just pretend I wasn't held hostage in my own home, or that I wasn't preyed upon by a psychopath!"

"You weren't the only you went through this you know. I lost someone I cared for too." Josh snarled back, the bluntness of it made Skye's jaw unhinge slightly. His girlfriend. Skye's eyes darted to the ground once more and guilt over came the pair of them. "Skye, I-"

"No. You're right, Josh. I should just suck it up." She whispered, fighting the tears that threatened to come out. She thought it was hard to compete with a girl who wasn't even born yet, but it was impossible to compete with a girl that was dead. A girl who died thanks to information she passed on to Commander Taylor's son. "Sorry, but I can't do this right now." She spat before moving away.

He was infuriating. She knew he meant well, and she knew that he had come around to liking her, but she just couldn't stand to look at him sometimes. He didn't what she did for him. What she was willing to do for him. He never even asked her what she had done to get him out of the brig, once out, he was pissed that she didn't get his father out as well.

She entered her home. When her mother was out of the care of Doctor Shannon completely, she moved out of the house she had with Hunter and the gang. As fun as it was to be with her friends, nothing could compare to being able to live with her mother, to not have to travel all though the night and give intel to those sixers just to see her. At least when she was home. Her mother had been placed into work details, and with the cut off from 2149 and no more new supplies running though, her mother was tasked with the recycling team, getting every last drop of use from any and every item.

Unable to bear the silence of the empty house she left. She needed to get out. Not just outside, but outside the perimeter. She partly regretted not taking up the offer on going to the cliffs, but the thought of being around Hunter or Josh now made her stomach churn.

Slipping though the gutter ditch just like old times, Skye ventured into the trees swiftly. She missed the forest. The sights and sounds, not so much for the blood sucking mosquitos or thorn bushes, but most everything else. Being able to navigate outside of the camp without use of a tracker made Skye feel apart from the rest of the colony. From her espionage days, Skye knew almost every foot of this part of the wild, what routes were safest, which areas offered food along the way, the best route to take if you were caught off guard by a slasher.

She took a glance at the sun. She had maybe five hours until dusk, more than enough time to vent and get back. Instinctively, Skye went to the falls, the water offered her the most relief, she just prayed that Josh and the rest of them would hold off on the trip out for another day.

Dropping her bag down, Skye went to the water and began to splash the water upon her face, then to the back of her neck. Her eyes scanned to the rocks round her. Lucas's equations etched upon them. Before she had met Lucas she thought nothing of the drawings and calculations other than it was linked to Taylor's long lost son. Now, she saw them as scars. Scars on herself, to the colony, and to the planet.

Her stripped herself of her brown leather jacket and basked in the sunlight with her black tank and cargo pants, taking solace in the sounds of the cascading waters and rustling of leaves from the wind. It might be a restricted area, but it was something short of paradise. She then wondered if Lucas chose this place to display his work for this reason.

"Damn it." Skye muttered, covering her face with her hands. She had to stop bringing him up in every thought. As far as the colony was concerned, Lucas Taylor was still at large, and yet he managed to haunt her as though he was a ghost.

It would be so much easier if there was proof of his survival or not, sometimes she'd hope that a patrol would bring him back. Dead or alive, it didn't matter to her, but she longed for that closure. That she could either learn to cope with the knowledge that she had shot and possibly ended Taylor's son, or that she had not taken his life, and could be absolved of any guilt.

Skye sighed running her hands though her hair before getting to her feet again, grabbing her jacket on the way up and turned to retrieve her bag, but upon turning around, she discovered that it was not where she had placed it.

Skye silently cursed herself. She had left her nuts and berries in the back, and out here there were many creatures of opportunity. She moved for the tree line in hopes of picking up a trail. Any sane person would have let bag go, but that bag had belonged to her family since they arrived here. A physical tie to her father.

Upon entering the trees once more, she immediately took note to the physical signs of something being dragged across the forrest floor, with her luck the bag attracted a juvenile nykoraptor. She was now severely regretting not taking up Boylan on a trade, an antique 21st century hand gun. Carnator dung was worth more than that thing, but now any firearm would have been worth her weight in Terra's.

The trail ended suddenly no signs of anything being shredded or dragged off in another direction upon the ground, but when surveying the area at eye level she spotted her bag hanging from a low hanging branch. Her expression became light and she even produced a laugh.

"Alright, very funny!" She called approaching the bag. "You guys really had me there!" She said shaking her head as she slung the bag over a shoulder. "Now who am I going to hit first? Josh or Hunter? Because I know Max wouldn't dream of pulling this off!" She called out again as she spun back around to meet a sight which scared her more than a pack of slashers. A pair jade green eyes.

 **"Hello Bucket."**


	2. Leverage

**Leverage[lev-er-ij] Noun;**

 **-Power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc; sway.**

Skye stiffened, backing herself right to the trunk of the tree. She would have preferred Slashers to this, she would have preferred a great number of things to this.

"Lucas, I- I thought you were dead." She gasped, her eyes though on him, were already searching for her exit out. He chuckled and advanced closer.

"Oh my sweet, sweet Bucket. You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?" He retorted, flashing another smile. "But you were close! So close! In fact, I might have to say you could very well be the most DANGEROUS creature on this planet, well, maybe not to the other predators, but you are to me."

Skye made a run for it but came to a halt when she came face to muzzle with a Phoenix rifle and its owner, a few more men making their presence know from behind the trees. Skye instinctively raised her hands above her head and turned back to face Lucas once more.

Upon observing him now she realized he looked somewhat decently groomed, and his clothes though not fresh were by no means rags, save for that green jacket of his. Wherever they were camped out, it looked as though they were doing well for themselves.

"I have a job for you." He hissed now only mere steps away, Skye narrowed her eyes.

"And what makes you think I'll take it?" She asked bitterly as her face was seized by one of Lucas's hands.

"Because, dear Bucket, you owe me. Or have you forgotten pulling the trigger on me? Twice!" Skye winced at the pressure upon her jaw law, but did not budge, making him smile. "You always were a tough sell. You won't do anything unless if it's for the right price…" He whispered releasing her and now circled around her.

"And how great is it, that fortune should favor me this day that not only do I have my favorite back stabbing operative- well, more like chest shooting…" He shrugged and continued. "But that we should also come across one of your previous bargaining chips."

Skye turned to face that smug grin now. Before she could ask, he took her by the wrist and lead her though the forest, the mercenaries falling behind in a staggered line. They continued, but at this point Skye no longer needed to ask where they were going.

She could hear the guys laughing. They had sworn to never go back to making that damn fermented wine again, and yet there those idiots were. Skye was handed a pair of binoculars and immediately picked them out. It was only the boys. Hunter, Max and of course Josh. She didn't look away until Lucas tucked a runaway strand of hair behind her ear, smiling down at her he started up again.

"I have three men down there, just waiting for the order to engage, and you know our ammunition is in short supply these days.. I think I can spare two bullets. Call it returning the favor." He said with a flash of a teeth once more, but his face turned cold. "Would you like to guess who I'd give them to?" Skye remained silent.

"No guesses? Well I guess I'll have to tell you in that case,, but what I'll do, is take out the black kid and the brunette, BOOM! Right between the eyes, and of course that only leaves the spawn of Shannon. Well, as I said ammunition, short supply and I still hold quiet the grudge on the runt for our last encounter. I think I would take my time with him and-"

"I get it Lucas!" Skye spat in defeat. "What do you want?"

On some level, Lucas was disappointed for not having the opportunity to take the Shannon boy's life, but as they say, he had bigger fish to fry, like his bastard of a father, but that would come soon enough. He produced a USB from his pocket and held it out to Skye.

"Take this to The Eye. You know what to do from there." Skye blinked as she took the device from him.

"Lucas, I don't understand. The portal-"

"As much as I'd like to fill you in, Bucket, you are running against the clock. Those boys won't be out here after dark, and nor will I. I figure you have oh.. Four? Four hours until sunset? And that equation should only take a half hour, if that." He moved closer still.

"So I'll give you three hours bucket. If in three hours' time you don't return I'll kill them all myself." He warned softly. Skye's heart pounded. She turned to make a run for it when Lucas caught her by the back of her arm. They locked eyes once more.

"Oh, and Bucket… Don't bring my father into this." With a nod of her head he released her and she was off.

Skye ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, not caring when she stumbled or the sensation of thorns slicing at her. She slowed only when she reached the fence of camp and crawled underneath the drainage ditch. She couldn't run now, she couldn't afford attracting anyone's attention. She made a B line for The Eye.

Her eyes darted for any sign of Commander Taylor or Mister Shannon. It would be a stupid move to involve anyone else, but she knew giving in to Lucas was foolish in the first place. She would have to handle those consequences when they came. Lucas was many things, but as far as she knew, he wasn't a liar, and she sure as hell wasn't going to call his bluff.

Skye went to the paddock door when it slid open, Maddy practically colliding with her.

"Oh! Skye! Sorry about that."

"It's fine, really." Skye assured trying to move inside, but Maddy insisted on continuing the conversation.

"Are you doing research for the Badlands? Because there isn't anything useful in there, well, not yet anyway. I'm sure once Commander Taylor goes out we'll have loads of information and-"

"No, it's not for the Badlands, nothing serious like that."

"Well what are you interested in? Maybe I could help you find it? Not that the machine is complicated or anything!" She said trying to recover, but Skye was beginning to lose patience.

"It's fine. Really." Skye said managing to keep her cool. "It's just something for- something for Josh! Yea, he had mentioned that he was looking for something new and edgy to play so I thought maybe looking into the history of rock bands and what not for him." The lie rolling off of her tongue and Maddy ate it up.

"Well, I can't say that's the most useful reason to use The Eye, but I get it I guess." Maddy said with a shrug moving out to let Skye in. "Have fun, and let me know how it goes! Maybe I'll look into the arts sometime as well."

"Yea, sure thing Maddy, tell Reynolds I said hi!" She exclaimed before shutting the door and ran to the controls.

'It's just like last time, just get it, get out and get back to Lucas.' She told herself hooking the device in and began the calculations. Numbers and symbols flashing before her eyes. None of it made a drop of sense to her, but all she knew was that whatever this was, it couldn't be good.

Skye suddenly felt sick, her thoughts turning to what was to come. Had Skye handed over the planet to Lucas once more? Did this have anything to do with the Badlands? Was Lucas actually going to spare the lives of her friends once he got what he wanted? Her eyes went to clock.

She still had an hour and a half left, but of course that was given if the boys remained put. She clasped her hands together and crunched her body over, her forehead resting upon her hands. She could ask someone to tail her, just in case, but that would create more of a mess without a doubt. Lucas somehow always came up one step ahead.

He held the record for most days OTG, and still counting. He not only established a comm. link to 2149, but made the portal go both ways and Skye saw firsthand how cunning he could be. The man was a loaded gun, ready to go off at a moment's notice. She knew that she shouldn't trust Lucas to keep his word, but she also knew it would be foolish to involve anyone else, and to cross him again.

Skye's boding had eaten up the half hour. Ejecting the device and storing it into her bag, she moved back and out to the colony. She no longer searched for signs of Commander Taylor, or any of the colony's authority figures. Skirting around the back of the houses, Skye made it to the drainage ditch once more.

When Skye made it back to Lucas and the mercs, she had twenty minutes to spare. Lucas looked as though she had arrived only with seconds on the clock however.

"Bucket." He began with a smile stalking towards her. "I was worried that you were going to betray your friends." Skye grimaced at the comment.

"Look, you got what you want, we're done. Okay?" Skye warned, her eyes searching though the tropical forest for her friends. She could no longer hear their laughter. "Where-"

"You just missed them, Bucket. They piled up in their cart maybe.. ten? Yea, ten minutes ago." Skye's jaw shifted.

"You- you let them go?" She asked in shock.

"Well, it was a risky move, I'll admit, but I'm pretty sure I made the right call." He replied as Skye came to life once more, pulling out the USB and holding it out to him. "Oh Bucket, you really sold yourself short, wanting to be like dear old dad. Your father that is, I mean that's just crazy if you aspire to be like my father… no. You, dear sister, are the perfect little spy."

"Was." Skye corrected. "Like I said, I'm done, great doing business with you, best of luck with- whatever all of this and-" Lucas motioned to take the USB but took a hold of her wrist all together.

"Oh Bucket, sweet Bucket. We aren't done. No. This it only the beginning." He said calmly, which Skye on edge. "See, I may have put faith in you returning, but I'm- I'm a little wary of you telling dear old dad." He continued, snatching the device with his other hand, keeping a firm grip on her wrist and handed it to one of the Phoenix grunts.

"And you know, I haven't exactly forgiven you either."

Skye's eyes widened as she recalled the lecture he had given her after Lucas had taken over the camp. He wouldn't be so forgiving next time.

"For betraying you to your father..." Skye muttered, her arm going slack but it remained extended by Lucas's hold.

"That was a big, and I mean BIG, setback, Bucket." He said with that predator like smile of his. "And as much as I'd like to forgive you, it's a matter of principle." Skye pulled away now and spun around, she heard the men lock the bolts back on their weapons but she continued to a few more steps before she dropped herself to her knees and place her hands on the back of her head.

Lucas tilted his head to the side, as a dog might upon witnessing something unfamiliar. The men in uniform all looked to him now, awaiting for their orders.

"Bucket-"

"Lucas, I told you, I'm done. I've already done more damage than I can bear!" She shouted. "And I don't even know what I just handed to you now! You have nothing left to hold over my head, and I am done with being your pawn, so you're just going to have to kill me." She spat, closing her eyes. She waited for the fire of a rifle, but she did not expect sensation of Lucas's hand grabbing a fistful of her hair, craning her head back.

They both glared into one another's eyes.

"You're no good to me dead, Bucket." He hissed. She remained silent, and when Lucas found he would not get a response from her he continued.

"If you're gone, who will there be to stop me from killing Josh next time?" Skye remained silent, if she didn't turn up for work detail it would be presumed she went OTG almost immediately, and with that the security of base camp would heighten. Her remaining missing would keep the civilians inside and increase patrols outside. Skye didn't want to release this information, but she didn't have to, Lucas was already working it out himself. A new plot was now thrown.

"Who, Bucket, will keep me from killing everyone in that wretched colony? My father!?" He laughed. "Redemption is coming for me, dear sister, and this time around, I might not be so merciful to those people." He growled making her wince as he tightened his grip. Her silence began to irritate him.

"Doctor Taylor? We should wrap this up, this is a prime Slasher territory and-"

"I got it!" He shouted back before cursing under his breath and looked to the girl once more. If he couldn't convince her with words, he'd just have to show her. "We're bringing her back."

"You're what?" Skye asked.

"We're what?" Asked the Phoenix grunt who motioned to leave just seconds ago. Lucas shot a glance back to him.

"Are you deaf or just dense? I said we are taking her with us."

"Sir, I really don't think that's-"

"That's the thing, Foster. You aren't supposed to think, you are supposed to just do!" He shouted before turning his attention back to Skye who just stared at him wide eyed.

"Lucas-" She started before he collided her head to the base of the tree, knocking her out cold.


	3. Missing

**Missing [mis-ing] Adjective;**

 **\- Absent, not found, or lost.**

 **\- lacking.**

Deborah Tate returned home just before night fall, exhausted from a day of full work. Removing her jacket she placed it upon a hook by the door.

"Skye? Honey, are you home?" She called as she moved in deeper to the house.

There seemed to be no sign of her daughter. It was an uncommon thing, for her daughter to not be waiting for her, but Deborah took no alarm in this, in fact there was a slight sense of relief. Ever since Skye had confessed what she had done to keep her alive, the mother felt guilt, guilt for robbing her only child of her youth. She knew Skye was a rather popular figure within the colony, save for a few members who still held a grudge against her for leaking certain information to the sixers, but Skye did more than necessary to redeem herself, at least in her mind.

Deborah took a look at the clock in the kitchen. It was only 2000 hours, and Skye was by no means a night owl, but she was young, she could be home any minute, or in the middle of the night. Without debate, the worn woman made her way to her room and prepared for bed. She was asleep before 2200.

Upon waking up the next morning to the sound of rain gently tapping on the roof of their home, Deborah awoke in a morning daze, refreshed but by no means alert. Slinking towards the kitchen she began the morning ritual.

"Skye, are you awake? I'm making breakfast." She called walking past her room. She heard nothing to indicate that Skye was up, but Skye was notorious for sleeping in, more so if she was out with her friends the night before.

Deborah began to boil water for her tea, and began to pull ingredients from the fridge. Fruit and some eggs would do for the day. Whenever her daughter cooked eggs, it was always scrambled, not that she minded, but the woman was always amused by the young woman's attitude towards cooking, simple and quick.

Sunny side up eggs were laid upon a plate along with some sliced up fruits. Smiling down at the plate, Deborah carried a tray to Skye's room, managing to slide the door open with her foot.

"Little Bucket, wake up, you'll be late for your detail." The mother playfully scolded before seeing that her child was not in bed, nor in the room. Glancing around, a sudden sense of worry came over her. This was not like Skye. Not at all. She had always informed her if there was remotely possible of staying out at a friend's, nor was it likely for Skye to be up and out before her.

Deborah tried to fight the feeling down, but she couldn't. She must be with her friends at their cabin, maybe Commander Taylor wanted to spend some time with her, or even possibly with the Shannon boy. She tried to rationalize it, but failed. Going back to the kitchen she left both plates of food to go without and headed off to see Commander Taylor.

* * *

Commander Taylor stood over his desk, with a few of his troops around him, all pointing out prime areas to approach the Badlands from, Taylor listened carefully to the information he was being given. He hated to go to these 'Badlands' at all, but there was reason why the Sixers and Phoenix would high tail it out there, and as much as he disliked the possibility of being blindsided out there, he hated the idea of being overrun with some new threat more.

Reynolds was proposing the strategy of having three separate convoys enter at different locations at once when Deborah fled into the room, causing the uniformed members to go ridged, but Taylor held his hand up to assure his troops would not lash out at the clearly flustered woman.

"Debbie, what's-"

"It's Skye," she sobbed, "I don't know where she is, I don't know if she came home last night and I-" Taylor took hold of the woman in a comforting hug.

"Deborah, it's alright, Skye is an independent but good kid, I'm sure she's fine.. Now come on, let's go see if we can find her. I'll get Shannon involved as well."

* * *

Jim Shannon stood at the gate to Terra Nova, watching as his son and his friends, Hunter and Max, hack away at the weeds growing around the perimeter's fence. A punishment detail for rolling in the gate with a heavy buzz.

"Shannon!" Taylor called with Deborah in tow. Jim raised his coffee cup in response before looking to the boys.

"Don't stop till it's done, but if you finish, go start up on the latrines." He warned, getting an expected eye roll from Josh, before Taylor started shaking his head.

"Actually, Shannon, we need the boys down here too." Taylor said, making Jim nod them down.

"If this is about them going off base, I assure you, their punishment is more than sufficient." Jim assured, eyeing his son with scrutiny before Taylor shook his head again.

"I'm afraid that's not the case, unless they happened to bring Skye along with them?" The boys all looked to one another before Josh stepped up.

"I had.. Invited her to come with us, but she didn't want to go. We kinda had an argument…" He muttered looking down at the ground. "She went home, and we went out."

"Is there any chance that she may have changed her mind and gone after you guys?" Jim asked, and Max shrugged.

"Well, sure, I guess. But the thing is we changed our destination after Skye didn't want to go along." Max said. Deborah stifled a cry causing Taylor to bring her close again.

"It's alright Deborah, for all we know, she's just down at Boylan's or out in the field. Now, I want you to go back home, in case she decides to show up at home. If she does, tell her to report to me on going AWOL" Taylor teased, in an attempt to get the woman's spirit up. Deborah managed to produce a smile and did as she was told.

"I know you boys were out drinking that moonshine muck, but what were the original plans? If Sky did go out looking for you, where would she have gone?" Shannon started.

Suddenly their eyes dropped to the ground. The nervous shuffle of feet spoke in volumes for Taylor, and he slowly released his hope of Skye being on base.

"Boys. Tell me you weren't thinking about going out to Snakehead." Taylor said almost breathlessly. They all remained silent. Nothing speaks on the volume that guilty faces can. Taylor cursed under his breath and looked to Shannon, he extended a knife hand to start directing the plans now.

"Shannon, go check out the footage from the security camera's, if she did leave base last night we'll at least be able to establish a timeline. "Boys I want you to start looking for her here, if you find anything, report to myself, Shannon or Reynolds. We don't want this getting out." Taylor said, still in defense of the girl. He was aware that not everyone held the best view on the girl in light of her 'betrayal', no matter how justifiable it was.

Breaking up, they all went in separate directions. Josh veered off for home. He was torn inside, if Skye had gone after them, he was the one that had set her up for failure. He knew Hunter was still in the moonshine game, and with the argument he had with her, Josh just wanted to take the edge off. He hoped that his mother would be getting a late start to her work day, which was doubtable, but if she was he could consult her and with any luck maybe she had seen Skye.

Josh arrived in their home and was prepared to exit seeing that the coffee maker was clean and stowed away, a clear sign that his mother was out of the house for the day. He would have made his way for the infirmary had Maddy not peaked out of her room to see who had entered. Her face contorted in confusion.

"Dad let you off the hook?"

"Not exactly." Josh started, a hand moving to rub the back of his neck. "Just a change of plans for now." Maddy shrugged it off. She never understood how her brother and herself were related, well, she understood the concept of it, but sometimes it seemed so improbable that they shared the same DNA code. They were night and day, were she was a perfect example, and he served as a warning sign.

Josh turned to leave when Maddy spoke once more.

"Oh, did Skye find anything that interested you?" Josh spun right back around, his eyes wide at the question.

"You saw Skye? When?!" Maddy drew back a bit.

"Uh, yeah. Last night. She said she wanted to do some research for you on old rock bands or something in The Eye." Maddy said confused by Josh's expression.

"Maddy, come with me. You have to tell dad what you just told me, right now." He said opening the door and without question, Maddy followed.

* * *

Jim Shannon watched the screens of the colony's security cameras, focusing particularly upon the camera which focused on the drainage ditch. At 16:02 Skye could be seen slipping under the fence. Jim sighed heavily and motioned for his radio com.

"Taylor, its Skye. She took off though the drainage ditch yesterday." He muttered, watching as the footage continued to roll. Taylor's voice came though. Taylor had made his way to the barracks to prep a search team, and it sounded like they needed to leave hours ago.

"Good work, Shannon. Just wish we had more notice. Skye is a survivor, she's out there still. We'll get her home." He said, trying to build moral more for himself than anything. His gaze turned to the squad he handpicked for the mission as the put their gear on. "We leave in 15 Mike!" He called to the troop before turning back to the radio link.

"Shannon, I would do it myself, but I should go bring her home, can you-"

"Taylor, wait." Shannon interrupted his eyes on the screen again. Skye was crawling back under the fence, the time was 16:52. "She came back."

"She's there now?" Taylor asked, relief evident in his voice but it was ill misplaced.

"No, the footage, Taylor, Skye wasn't even gone for an hour." He announced, prepared to announce a full out man hunt on base when Josh and Maddy ran in.

"Dad, Maddy saw Skye last night! Tell him, Maddy." Josh said frantic.

"Yea, she was at The Eye last night." Maddy said glancing back between her father and brother. "Now can someone please tell me what's going on?!"

"Skye went missing, but she may actually be on base." Jim began. "She was in and out before nightfall. What was she doing at The Eye?"

"That's the thing, dad. She lied. She told Maddy that she wanted to look up stuff for me."

"So?"

"So- Before I left with Max and Hunter, Skye and I got in an argument, not some debate on old rock bands." Josh said in a matter of fact tone, making his father's brow burrow. Before anyone could produce a reasonable explanation the image of Skye could be seen sneaking off base once more. When this was all cleared up, Shannon made a mental note to have barb wire placed there.

Jim eyed the time on the footage. 17:31. The kid hardly had time to even sit down for a meal before she ran off to the jungle. He contacted Taylor once more. "Taylor, this just became a confusing situation. I think its best you get over here to help make sense of this." Taylor agreed to those terms and left the group to stand by.

When Taylor arrived, they had gone through the footage together to watch Skye leave, return and leave again and fast forward though until dawn. Taylor's expression was grave.

"What is she doing?" Taylor groaned, fearing the worst.

"Is there any way to find out what she was actually up to in The Eye?" Josh asked.

"There isn't any camera's in the room, it would interfere with The Eye's central nervous system. Taylor muttered. "However, we might be able to look at the hard drive to see what she was looking at." He said as he made for the door. "Shannon, I want you to be in charge of that, I have to get out there, before the trail runs cold." It didn't help with the early morning rain, but there was sure to be some evidence left.

"I want to know what she was looking at as soon as you know, Shannon." He called before heading back to the squad, leaving the Shannon family and the technician. Leading his kids out shortly after Taylor's departure, Jim placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Guys, whatever happens, I want you to promise me that you won't stray far. No heroics, and I do mean you Josh." He warned, tightening his grip on his son's shoulder. "I know Skye is important to you, but we have no idea what's going on right now." Maddy quickly nodded, but Josh was on the verge of grinding his teeth.

"Dad, it's Skye-"

"I know, Josh. I know. But we can't be too careful." Jim noted before looking past them to the rest of the colony. "Now, get on out of here. Get Hunter and Max and go back to the weed whacking, and Maddy…. Go read a book or something." They moved off, leaving their father to further investigate.

Shannon had to admit, he was just as knowledgeable in technology as he was with plants, but he knew people, and he knew just the person to recruit for this job.

* * *

Dr. Malcolm Wallace sat tinkering with one of the medical beds that Elizabeth asked him to fix. He moved to grab the sodering tool when he suddenly became aware that he was no longer alone. James Shannon stood over him, making him jump.

"Sh-! Shannon? Do you mind? I mean, what do you gain from creeping up on me all the time?" He asked with a shake of his head and continued on.

"Malcolm, what do you know about computers?"

"Obviously more than you." He muttered not looking up.

"Given, do you think you could pull out some information from The Eye? Taylor and I need it for an investigation." Malcolm sighed heavily.

"Jim, I'd love to help you, really, I would, but I have work to do myself. Elizabeth wants this bed back by tomorrow morning and I don't even think I can turn it in until next week, we have some equipment going out on the convoy that needs to be adjusted and then there is the matter of the solar panel on the other side of the colony that is only working at half of its capacity, I'm one person. I can't do it all myself."

Jim nodded his head, understanding the man's frustration. He had yet to fill the position of his assistant, who was brutally murdered, and being that the portal was closed for good, he was left to the thousand or so colonists to sort though. In the past five months, Malcolm had exhausted, fired and banned fifteen people from the role.

"What if I find you an assistant?" The man scoffed as he set down his tool.

"Jim, let's be honest with each other." Malcolm began, now looking to the sheriff once more. "You are really good at finding people, just not the kind of people I'm looking for." He scolded. "I'm looking for someone who can follow directions, who has not just intelligence but creativity and above all, someone who won't fall asleep when I'm talking to them!"

"I already have the perfect person in mind." Shannon replied.

Walking outside Shannon led Malcolm though the colony until they arrived outside of his home, where Maddy sat, hunched over her hand held reader, deeply engrossed in whatever it was she was reading. Shannon grinned at Malcolm who already began writing her off the board.

"No, No way Jim, no deal!" He shouted throwing his hands up in frustration.

"Why not?! Malcolm, Maddy is perfect!"

"She's a kid!"

"She meets all of your qualifications, and then some. She's great at taking orders and can manage projects on her own, she's by far one of the smartest people I know and best part, she has succeeded in putting us all to sleep once or twice on the stuff she talks about."

Malcolm shook his head and placed his hands on his hips, glaring at the man beside him.

"You really enjoy making my life difficult, don't you?" Jim held up his hands in defense.

"Hey, you said you needed someone. Maddy is still looking for a new internship, if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. What do you have to lose?"

"My patience." He young he muttered surveying the young woman on the porch. She was the spinning image of her mother, and it seemed that she was not only blessed with her looks, but her brains as well. With a heavy sigh he nodded looking back to Jim.

"Alright! Al- Alright. She can come in for a trial run, but if I say she's gone, I mean it Jim, she's gone." Jim smiled and nodded looking to his daughter who still had no clue as to what had just transpired.

"Good. Now, let's go see about The Eye."

* * *

Sitting within The Eye, Malcolm searched though the database and its history, focusing mainly with the time frame Jim gave him, but he didn't come up with much, other than being impressed by who ever used the system before Skye, searching for things he didn't even recognize.

"Well Jim, I can't tell you what she was doing in here, but she wasn't even using the bloody thing."

"She must have done something." Jim replied rubbing the stubble on his chin. Nodding Malcom dug deeper within the files but came up at a dead end.

"I think I have it." Malcolm muttered. "… Encryption."

"What? "Jim asked, Malcolm groaned.

"It allows a user to cover up their tracks. They can access, hack, steal or do whatever they like without leaving so much as a trace of them ever being there." Jim nodded at the explanation.

"So, what do you think Skye would be doing-"

"No. Not Skye. She's rather clever, but not that clever, at least not technology wise. No, whoever did this was either a professional or-" He cut himself off to take a glance at the port which one would use to connect a device. "Or a program in itself. She must have had something to do the work for her, but unfortunately I can't tell you what, Jim."

With a pat on the shoulder, Jim dismissed Malcolm and the pair exited and went their separate ways. Jim had the night to figure out how to tell his wife that he had practically handed their daughter over to her ex boyfriend, but that could wait. For now he had to figure out how to tell Taylor his trail came up cold.

"Taylor, its Shannon. Can you hear me?" He asked tapping into the correct frequency. His eyes on the sun. It was nearly evening now. Almost eighteen hours since Skye's unexplained disappearance.

"Hear you loud and clear, Shannon." Shannon then proceeded to tell him of the lack of information.

"Alright, Shannon. I'm pulling up to Snakehead now and-" He cut himself off, slamming down on the break, rousing the men in his transport. Without explanation Taylor bailed out of the vehicle and approached the rock wall.

"Taylor? Are you there? What's going on?"

Taylor's eyes welled up with rage and worry, but he quickly subdued the emotions and returned to his contact.

"Shannon, this just became very ugly." He growled, Jim assumed the worse.

"Skye, is she-?"

"No, or at least I can't say yet. I'll have to get a sample."

"A sample?" Jim asked baffled, wishing he could have eyes on whatever Taylor was looking at. "A sample of what?"

Taylor examined the rock wall before him with scrutiny. He could still make out the equations left behind by Lucas, but the numbers and lines paled in comparison to the simple words written before him.

In what looked like blood, four simple words were scrawled upon the wall.

"BUCKET GIVES HER REGARDS."

What sent chills though he wasn't just the sentence nor the 'ink' used to write the message, but the signature that marked the work. A hand print.

"He's back." The Commander said only to himself. And suddenly, the wound he sustained from his son seemed to flare.

Lucas was back.


	4. Captive

**Captive [kap-tiv], Noun**

 **-A prisoner**

 **-A person who is enslaved or dominated, slave**

Skye awoke with a start, and a splitting headache. Her eyes darted around the unfamiliar and dark tent as her memories came flooding back, panic setting in.

Lucas was back.

She moved to get up but soon found that she was incapable, her wrists bound behind her back to chair and her ankles to the legs of the wooden piece of furniture.

"It's about time you woke up, Bucket." Came the voice Skye feared.

Lucas walked up from behind her, a knife now at her throat, she flinched at the touch of the cold metal, making the man chuckle.

"Oh my sweet, sweet, Bucket, I'm not sure which hurt more. The bullets or you siding with my father.." He hissed, lifting the blade, winning a whimper from a girl.

"Lucas-"

He removed the blade and walked around to face her now, and the look upon his face seemed deadlier than the knife in his hand. Skye's eyes searched his face. If he was going to kill her, he would have done it already, but that wasn't true.

The man was truly unpredictable.

"Lucas," Skye started trying to find the right words, but she wasn't sure if she could talk her way out of the situation now. Apologies meant nothing to him, admitting things made things worse. Closing her eyes she shook her head at a loss.

"What do you want from me?" Skye asked through clenched teeth.

Lucas smiled kneeling down in front of her now, a hand placed upon her knee making her flinch once more, but Lucas only smiled up at the terrified young woman.

"I want you to understand, Bucket, I want you to see why my work is so important.." Lucas whispered back, his other hand reaching up to stroke her cheek. Skye's entire body was tense at his touch.

"Where are we?" Skye asked as Lucas rose to his feet.

"Come now, Bucket, don't play dumb. It doesn't suit you.." Lucas replied walking behind her, his lips now at her ear. "Take a guess." He whispered, his hot breath on her neck.

"The Badlands…." Skye replied with closed eyes. Lucas's reply came with cutting her restraints. She hesitated to get up but was left with little choice when Lucas offered her his hand.

Her hand in his, he swiftly pulled her to her feet and to his chest. He ignored her expression of dread as he lifted her chin up.

"You are lucky I like you Bucket." he whispered, but it was clearly a warning. "...I'm still tempted to repay you for those bullets you gave me.." He continued, his eyes lingering over her frame. "If you only knew the ways I've thought to return your kindness.." He whispered, his mind trailing off to his thoughts, his hold on her tightening.

Skye felt her chest tighten, realizing that he was losing focus she brought her hand to his cheek, his pupils widened in recognition of the touch of her hand.

"I'm sorry." Skye lied, but Lucas only heard what he wanted, loosening his grip, he nodded. New thoughts crossed his mind, but there was no time to act on those ideas.

"Sorry isn't enough, but it is a start." Lucas said releasing her hand. "Now, how about a tour?" Lucas asked motioning her for the doorway of the tent.

Skye could only nod and made her way out with Lucas right on her heel.

* * *

"It's slasher blood," Malcolm said as he held up a slide of the blood sample Commander Taylor provided.

Taylor and Jim Shannon both sighed with relief but there was still tension. She could still be alive, but that wasn't much of a consolation. She was in enemy hands, with possibly one of the most dangerous and brilliant people to walk this planet.

"What do we tell Deborah?" Shannon asked, making the Commander shake his head.

"I'll break the news to her. I need you to to say your goodbyes to your family and rest up. We're leaving at first light to bring her back."

"Sir, I don't think that is a wise move." Started Reynolds. "We'll be going in blind, and for all we know, we'd be going right into a trap."

"He's right Taylor.." Jim responded with his arms folded. "Believe me, I want to bring her back, but if we are going to do this, we have to be careful about it. I don't think we can afford to underestimate Lucas."

Taylor clenched his jaw, but nodded in defeat. He wouldn't win this argument in a democracy, and as military leader he could not justify risking the entire colony for one person.

Only problem was that he felt responsible for this one person. He wasn't sure if Skye ever felt it, but he saw himself as a father figure for her. She was his second shot at raising a kid.

Now his first born son had her.

"Twenty four hours." Taylor said. "If I have to go in on this alone, so be it." Jim opened his mouth to object but the Commander snuffed the conversation before it could begin.

"Jim, if it was one of your children, would you not at least try?" Taylor asked, "Because I cannot stand by on this one. Not with her."

Jim's eyes dropped to the floor and shook his head. The man had a point.

"It's settled then." The Commander stated. "I'll ask for volunteers then. I'd like for you to join me Shannon, but maybe it's best that I leave you in charge."

Jim nodded looking to the older man. "I'm not thrilled with the idea, but I think it'll take the both of us to outwit Lucas, besides, I think Reynolds would be a wiser choice for acting Commander."

"Say again?" Reynolds asked in disbelief.

"You heard the man, soldier. This time tomorrow, you're in charge." Taylor said rolling his shoulders. "Now, let me go break the news to Deborah, and we'll get this mess settled, once and for all."

* * *

Skye's eyes squinted at the sudden assault of light from the sun, but once her eyes adjusted she was incapable of blinking.

They were placed in a desert, which made sense why the land was deemed bad, but her mind couldn't comprehend the sight before her. All around them were sea bearing vessels and aircrafts through the ages. From recent history to ancient times, fully intact and portions, the surrounding region was littered with the machines of transportation.

"What- what is this?" Skye asked in disbelief walking up to a schooner, her eyes scanning the name of the vessel, the 'USS Wild Cat'.

Lucas, beside her once more with his hands shoved in his pockets, grinned.

"This, is the road back to our timeline.." he whispered looking to the ship as well. "This, is my chance to take care of my father for good..."

* * *

 **If anyone is still following this, I am so sorry for not updating this sooner. It's been a hell of a year for me, and I really should get on a normal updated schedule of things. Still have a few other stories in line that need to be updated, and not to play favorites, but whatever story has the most comments will be my priority from this point on.**

 **HINT HINT**


	5. Fracture

**Fracture [frak-cher], noun**

 **-the breaking of a bone, cartilage, or the like, or the resulting condition.**

 **\- a break, breach or split**

"I don't understand." Skye whispered running her fingers over the ship. It was like a junkyard, seeing these ships and planes in all sorts of conditions.

"There is a fracture in the timeline." Lucas purred leaning against the schooner, eyeing the mast with little interest. "A tiny tear that is sending this junk here without a crew or soul in sight." He mused.

"What happened to them?" Skye asked, unsure if she wanted the answer.

"My guess is that the drift tears them apart on the ride over," Lucas said with a shrug scanning over the young woman with his jade eyes. Skye felt some relief, knowing that the 'portal was untamed, and Lucas, as calculating as he was, detected that.

"But thanks to you, dear Bucket, we can make our trip to the future without fear of being torn to shreds." He said holding up the USB.

Skye's feeling of relief deflated to defeat.

"You fixed the portal then?"

"Fixed is a strong word, but it'll function." He assured, his gaze not looking past the girl, making Skye look over her shoulder to see Mira stalking towards them with a look that would undoubtedly kill.

Skye feared Lucas, he was positively the most dangerous threat to the entire planet, however, she knew that if Lucas wanted her dead, he could have killed her several times over by now, but she wasn't a fool, she was on a thin ice with him.

Mira, on the other hand, would hold out on her mother's medication just for being late on her information drops. Without hesitation, Skye sank to Lucas's side.

Mira was seething before the pair, disgusted to see the former informant not only in the flesh, but alive.

"What is **SHE** doing here?!" Mira growled, which made Skye practically cower behind Lucas who could only grin at the displeasure of the Sixer leader.

"Mira, she's our guest, try to be nice." Lucas said flashing his teeth with his warm yet vicious smile. "Besides, Skye gave us the ticket home..so some gratitude may be in order."

Mira scoffed taking another step forward, Skye motioning to move closer to her abductor, however, he moved to distance the threat from her, the pair now silently sizing one another up.

"It was a mistake to bring her here. Your father will come." Mira warned which only made the man chuckle.

"I hope he does, and I hope he brings Shannon along for the ride. What kind of homecoming would this be if we didn't have a face off with our rival team?"

"An easy one!" Mira snapped. "You might enjoy being in this hell hole Lucas, but each minute I spend here is another minute-"

"Yes, yes, I get it!" Lucas muttered, exhausted from the topic. "You miss your precious baby girl, but how many times do I have to tell you… I can put you right back home not as short as an hour after you dropped your kid off. Like you never left."

Mira studied the man's grin, skeptical but she nodded before narrowing her eyes on the timid younger woman.

"You better watch yourself, Skye." She hissed looking back to Lucas. "Your dark knight might not be around forever." She spat before moving off to rejoin some of her sixer comrades.

Skye gave a sigh of relief and looked to Lucas. She felt the urge to thank him, but she suppressed it. As far as they were both concerned, she was his prisoner, so she was his responsibility.

She was just thankful that he seemed to feel that way as well, at least for the time being.

"Do you think father will come to fetch you, Bucket?" Lucas asked without looking at her, his gaze still on Mira, who seemed to have her sights on them as well. Skye paused at the question.

"I- I'm not sure. It's not in his nature to put the colony in danger over one person.." She whispered glancing down at the sand. Lucas's hand began to pet her hair, making her stiffen. Her eyes slowly rose to meet his.

There was that charming smile of his again. Why did he remind her of a cat, one that toyed with it's prey for sport?

"Bucket, you aren't just one person.." He whispered, his fingers lacing into her strands of hair. "You, are father's favorite, his redemption clause."

Guilt erupted within Skye's chest. There wasn't a doubt in her mind now. Taylor would come. And it was all her fault. Again.

Angry tears threatened to break loose as she clenched her fists.

"Now.. better get a head start on that connection before the old man comes rolling in.." He muttered, his hands returning to his pockets, but he admired the girl now more than ever. Such a beautiful broken mess. And she was his.

At least in his mind.

"Come along Bucket, the future awaits.." He whispered walking past her but was caught by her palm on his chest.

Shaking her head violently, she trembled.

"Please stop.. Lucas, you don't have to do this, you don't have to-" She said, her voice cracking. "This planet. It's not paradise, but it's my home." She whispered unable to look at him now. "Your dad told me, told me why you hate him. I get it, I was so angry when I lost my dad, I almost lost my mother too, but you can still fix this, you ca-"

Lucas ripped her hand away from his shirt, furious now. Far more furious than she had ever seen him before.

"He told you, did he?" Lucas growled. "Did he tell you how my mother died? How long it took for her to die? Did he give you in detail her screams for mercy, or of the horror of her death?" He asked towering over her.

Everyone within the area, sixers and Phoenix mercs alike, had their eyes on them now.

"Lucas, please,"

"No! He didn't. He sugar coated that part for you, but I wasn't spared. I watched. I watched as they, as those animals, took her apart…" He motioned to grab her, but he stopped without warning.

He watched as fearful tears streamed down Skye's face. Her entire frame shaking, her lips quivering, and her eyes. Oh, how her eyes glistened. He was taken at how beautiful she was in this state but was disgusted at this revelation.

Without another word, he turned his back to her and fled to his tent to get to work. To cleanse his mind of the girl. Maybe it was a bad idea bringing her here, but he'd be damned if he admitted that to anyone.

Left behind, Skye stood dazed and confused at the sudden collapse of her situation, but she was far from relieved. Lucas might have spared her from his own wrath, but now she was left to the sixers.

Her eyes found Mira who was nodding to her fellow comrades.

'Oh this is bad, shit this is really bad.' Skye cursed in her mind watching as they began to mobilize in her direction.

'Think Skye, think!' She chided herself.

In the jungle, she could run, she could hide, even throw off nykoraptors, but here in the sand, she was left in the open. She only had two choices.

Take her chances out here with the wolves. Or follow the lion into the den.

Turning, she made her way for the tent, wishing she had never left the safety of the colony.


	6. Promise

**Promise [prom-ise] noun;**

\- **-** **a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified**

 **\- - to give reason to expect**

Skye stepped into the tent with hesitation. Hell, she wasn't sure if she was in the frying pan or in the fire at this point, but Skye knew the odds of her survival were not pretty with Mira roaming around. Her big fear now however, was that she may be crossing a line with Lucas, and Lucas Taylor was not a man to cross.

She had betrayed him to his father, shot him twice, and denied allegiance to his cause, any one of these things could be considered a death sentence, yet she remained alive. She wasn't stupid, she knew she was special, at least in his eyes. Be it for the 'sibling' factor of them both being raised by the great Commander Taylor, or what she was willing to do for him to keep Josh alive, Skye knew she had a hold on him.

Only problem was, Lucas, for all his brilliance, had a temper that could rival any predator temperament on Terra Nova.

"Leave, Bucket. I won't ask twice." Lucas hissed standing over his work station, his back to her. He was tense, and everything in Skye's body told her to run, but Mira was far less manageable. If it came to picking a fight with an angry male or a pissed off mother, Skye would pick the male every time.

"I'm not leaving." She stated, the response from Lucas was silence, but Skye could feel the pressure building up within the tent. She opened her mouth to continue but he was approaching her at a pace that eliminated both the fight and flight reflexes, freezing her to the spot where she stood.

He was upon her in mere seconds, a hand firmly wrapped around her throat. He could crush her windpipe with little to no effort, and he looked as though he was going to do just that.

"Lucas-" Skye rasped her hands moving to his wrists as his hand squeezed harder.

"I could have killed you back when you had me ambushed." He growled, his jade eyes as intense as ever. "It would have been so easy, it still would be easy."

Skye's eyes shut tight as she searched for the words to save her life now. An apology was out of the question now, if anything he would find it insulting. Talking of his father was an obvious no go as well, and bringing up his mother was far riskier than any other topic.

"Why didn't you?" Skye asked trying to keep a conversation. A technique she recalled from her father, mirroring, to deescalate a situation with camp members and with arguments with her mother. "You had every right to kill me after I tricked you, so why didn't you."

Lucas's grip did not loosen, but he was no longer increasing pressure as he took in the question. His mind far too preoccupied with coming up with a response now. He recalled how he seized a fistful of her hair and slammed her head against the hood of the cargo truck, when he stood over her unconscious form, he had contemplated on snuffing her out right there and then, but he didn't.

"Why?"

Lucas swallowed hard before removing his hand from Skye, who was now sucking in the air like a fish out of water. Making his way back to the work station he continued to contemplate on Bucket.

She had lost her usefulness now, even if things fell apart, there was really no hope of using the girl as a bargaining chip, or to infiltrate colony again. Most of the time he spent with her was short lived and for the most part very unpleasant, but he enjoyed that part of her, on some masochistic level, he thrived on her rebellious attitude.

"Answer me, Lucas!" Skye ordered, making the man scoff at the command.

He had spared her life yet again and she was already back to test him. They were both masochists it seemed. Facing her again, they were interrupted by a sixer whose name escaped both Skye and Lucas.

"You damn well better have a good reason for rushing in here-" Lucas started as the man frantically nodded his head.

"The portal, we have the power back, sir."

"It's about time," Lucas spoke walking out of the tent, Skye and the sixer in tow as he approached what looked to be a battleship.

"You put the arch in that thing?" Skye asked looking over the massive ship as they approached it. Lucas nodded not stopping to explain the situation.

"Had to, we needed a power system to support it, and as luck would have it this beauty was able to do just that. A temporary fix for a temporary problem," Lucas noted folding his arms as they reached the ship. "The real success belongs to Mullen- Gotta love engineer drop outs. " Lucas smirked surveying the outside of the ship, excitement rising within his core.

"Mulhern," corrected the sixer, earning a glare from Lucas.

"Remind me, who are you?" Lucas asked making the red head straighten up.

"Barns, sir, Thomas Barns." Stated the ginger who now regretted speaking up in the first place.

"Well, Barns, do me a favor. Take her back to my tent and keep watch until I get back. No one goes in, and she doesn't come out. Got it?" Lucas asked. Barns nodded to confirm, but Skye was ready to protest.

"No, not fine! You can't leave me with him! Or any of the sixers! Mira- "

"Mira won't touch you. Not as long as I can promise that she gets to see her brat again." Lucas stated firmly. "If you step anywhere near the arch, I can't promise that to her," Lucas continued moving closer to her, his hand clasped behind his back as he leaned closer to her. "I don't know if you are aware, Miss Tate, but you have an awful habit of screwing up my plans," he whispered as his jade eyes searched her blue.

Skye furrowed her brow at the physicist as her arm was caught by Barns to be dragged back to the tent, but she didn't budge.

"Lucas, this isn't right. Please don't do this- the people you work for, they don't care about what happens to you, or anyone else here! Think about the consequences, of the innocent lives- anything!"

"Oh Bucket, you aren't seeing the whole picture, but don't worry. I'll fill you in. Later." He stated before giving a nod to Barns who dragged her towards his tent. Lucas waited until Skye was no longer within sight before he made his way into the wrecked naval ship.

Lucas b lined right for the portal arriving at the bridge of the ship, patting the back of one of the soldiers.

"You, my friend, sold yourself short. You being a merc, however, may be one of the best things to happen to me on this God forsaken rock," Lucas whispered looking over the circuit board, the soldier shrugged off the compliment.

"Well, Dr. Taylor, I'm not sure what your financial situation was in school, but when the loans started piling up I had the choice of signing up with the military, or going to prison for overdue payments. Guess which one I picked," muttered Mulhern.

Lucas gave a sigh as he closed the circuit board panel. "I was a tad bit more fortunate, because it doesn't matter what city, or century you are in- connections are the key for survival… Wouldn't you agree Mira?" Lucas asked turning around to see the still very pissed off woman in the door way.

"Oh, come on, don't be mad! You're half way home at this point!" Lucas beamed waving off Mulhern as Mira walked into the interior of the bridge.

"I should have been home five months ago, and just where do you get off Lucas? Bringing that two-faced bitch here, you're putting everything at risk! I don't know if we could survive an attack from your father. We are running low on supplies, food, ammunition- the last thing we need is the Commander rolling in for a rescue mission!" Mira exclaimed, making the younger Taylor shake his head.

"Play nice Mira, I'm not asking you to be friends with our guest, just don't intimidate her," he warned digging into his pocket to pull out the USB that Skye had synced with The Eye. "Skye has done far more for you than the rest of this planet combined. Show some gratitude maybe?"

Mira rolled her eyes as she moved to the observation window, letting Lucas work his magic before she turned to face him again.

"You said that you could place me with my daughter right after I left her, like I never left. What did you mean by that?" Mira asked narrowing her gaze on Lucas as he plugged the USB into the portal and made his way to the control panel.

"I meant what I said, my dear Mira. I can drop you off only minutes after you leave your little bundle of joy with our employers if you want." Mira's gaze continued to burn into the back of Lucas.

"How?"

"You're standing in a twenty-first century navy vessel, in the middle of the desert, on a planet that is on a separate timeline from where we came from," Lucas started as he placed his hands away from the monitor. "A ship, by the way, that wasn't here five months ago, and you're asking how I can land you back with your daughter? It's really frustrating that no one else seems to be seeing the picture here."

"Then enlighten me, Doctor, what the hell are you going on about?" Mira growled leaning against the window, triggering Lucas to lose focus on his task.

"That rift we've been sending people through, well it just got a hell of a lot bigger, and it's going to continue to grow and send more of this junk to us until we lock in the rift."

"Excuse me?"

"Listen, I don't have the time to explain all of this to you, all you need to worry about is keeping your people under control until I can set up a connection to 2149, so if you don't mind- I have some work to do." Lucas said, his hand gesturing to the door way. Mira didn't need to be told twice, once in the door way, Lucas spoke up.

"Oh, and Mira… If you so much as lay a finger on Skye, I'll make sure you never see your daughter again."

"Is that a threat?" Mira asked glancing back to the male who kept his eyes on his work until she replied.

"No, it's a promise."

Mira froze at the statement, Lucas was many things, but he was not a man to be tested. Taking his words into account Mira stalked off without so much as a nod.

Lucas gave a wry smirk knowing he struck a chord with the sixer leader, but that didn't matter, not in the grand scheme of things. If his calculations were correct, then there was a shot, that all of this could be avoided.

Mira, of course, would be the test subject, but if he could land the over protective war lord mother moments after she left for the sixth pilgrimage, how hard could it be jumping to Somalia in 2138?

Before he could revise history, he had to ensure his employers were happy, after all, if they suspected his personal intentions for the portal, he'd be as good as dead, in the wrong time era. Going back to Somalia was literally in every sense of the meaning, a suicide mission.

If he couldn't get his mother out of that hell hole, then he'd have to make sure that his father wasn't left with a choice. If he died in 2138, mankind's survival on Terra Nova would be a guarantee, but he wasn't in it to make the universe a better place.

He just wanted to be free from the image of his mother being ripped apart, never waking from the sound of her screams again.

Death, was the goal, but only if she could live.

* * *

 ** _Did you miss me? Because I missed you!  
_**

 ** _I really need to clean up this series, I noticed I have a terrible habit of repeating the same phrases over and over again._**

 ** _I apologize for my absence, I can't promise that I'll be more active, but I will try to do better at the very least.. (If there is anyone still out here)_**

 ** _Before I can update again I need to clean up the previous chapters and do a major over haul on it's prequel, 'Persuade Me'._**

 ** _As always, comments are wonderful and I'm also on the look out for criticism._**

XoXo


	7. Ensconce

**Ensconce [en-skons] Verb;**

 ***To settle securely or snugly**

 ***To cover or shelter; to hide securely**

Commander Taylor eyed the group of volunteers from the deck of the command post. Only twelve people stepped up to the rescue mission. He knew that Skye had not been seen in the best light, but he had hoped that the colony would have acknowledged the sacrifices the girl made. In his mind, Skye Tate had redeemed herself, but he was clearly the minority on that thought.

Some of Skye's friends had volunteered as well, but sending in young untrained civilians wasn't just reckless, it called for disaster. He had to admire Jim's boy however. Young Josh Shannon put up quite the convincing argument on why he had to be on this mission. He was clearly brave, or in love if not both.

Jim Shannon approached from behind. He couldn't help but grin at the memory of their first interaction. Jim Shannon went from being a stow away convict to his greatest friend within a year. They've had some adventures together, and even when they had differences, they both always came together for the good of the colony. For the good of their family.

"How's your boy taking the rejection?" Nathaniel asked turning his gaze to his friend.

"Well, he's taking it as any kid his age would. Not well." Shannon spoke folding his arms and nodded to the crew that was gearing up to go.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come along? I think Reilly could run things while we are away- "Shannon suggested but Taylor simply shook his head.

"No Jim, I need you here. Supposing things go wrong out there, I don't want those damn mercs or sixers any ideas that they can march back in here. You're my wild card, I don't even know what I'm going to get from you some days."

Jim gave and honest chuckle, his feet scuffing at the wood beneath him. "I think my wife would agree with you there."

"Your wife is just as unpredictable! And your kids for that matter are already on par with that. Living up to the family name, Josh has been caught up in just about every minor infraction there is, Maddy is a prodigy out here and has been deemed over qualified for just about every internship here, and if it wasn't for the perimeter fence I would be willing to bet my bottom Terra that you would have your own petting zoo. Bringing in strays at every opportunity!"

The pair began to laugh but were soon consumed into silence at the thought of the kids. Both of their minds went right to Taylor's only child. Lucas.

"Listen, Taylor, if you change your mind, I'll be a radio call and a day behind if you need me." Shannon spoke, unsure how to address the situation of the commander's estranged son making it onto the scene again. "If Lucas- "

"Lucas… won't be a problem, Jim." Taylor spoke, his right hand unconsciously ghosting over the scar Lucas left him with. "Last time, he caught me off guard. I was weak. He used my emotions to his advantage. He won't get to play that move again." Shannon watched Taylor trying to sympathize with the man.

"What will you do?"

"Whatever I have to." Taylor stated as he straightened himself up. "Whatever it takes to bring Skye home, but I can't risk Lucas being out there- and not with whatever information he got from the Eye."

"You don't think that Lucas could reconnect with 2149, do you?" Shannon asked in a more hushed tone. So far, the colony had been pretty successful maintaining their way of life even with being cut off from their timeline and the supplies that they once depended heavily on, but there were things that sometimes couldn't be fixed, and Elisabeth mentioned at least one medication a day that the colony was in need of.

"Shannon, I stopped being sure about what my son could and couldn't do back when he betrayed this camp." Taylor stated, recalling the showdown between himself, his son and his mentor. "What I can tell you is that I'm not willing to take and chances, with him or those back in 2149."

Jim nodded and the two fell silent again. Another question stirred for Jim, but now wasn't the time to ask it. But was there ever a time to bring up the death of the commander's wife?

He knew enough to know that it tore at Taylor still, and that it was in Somalia that Lucas seemed to have lost his grip. When it was brought up, both the father and the son didn't reveal much other than the fact that people died and that the soldiers had to choose who lived and who died.

"I should get down there. Look over the supplies, see if there are any last-minute volunteers," Taylor spoke turning to Shannon who turned to face him as well and nodded in response.

"Take care of yourself Taylor, get Skye back safe and sound."

"I will." Taylor stated moving to descend to the ground. "Oh, and Jim, if I don't come back- "

Jim opened his mouth to cut him off but the Commander already had his hand up to cease the interjection.

"If I don't come back, you make sure Lucas, or any of those bastards don't take this place, no matter what. Are we clear?"

Jim nodded closing his eyes, hoping it didn't come to that.

"Good. I'll radio you before we get out to the Bad Lands. After we reach the last out post, you'll only get static from us." Taylor called from over his shoulder as he made it to the ground to ensure everything was in order and Jim retreated inside the command post, mulling over the security of the colony grounds.

"Reynolds, talk to me."

The younger man drew closer to the ranking officer, Taylor knew that someday the boy would be in charge around here, but he'd keep that to himself for the time being. Reynolds still had a lot of growing up to do, but he was bright, firm but above all else the boy was kind. Some would argue that it wasn't a trait for a warrior to carry, but demons run when a good man goes to war, and that's just what Reynolds was.

"Sir, based off of past reports of the territory we suspect the enemy to be based in we'll be taking three vehicles for the convoy, one of our Humvees, a deuce that the Phoenix group left behind and one of the container trucks to hold some of the essential gear and rations. Taylor nodded looking over the vehicles as Reynolds continued.

"We'll be bringing enough rations for eight days, but it could be stretched out farther. The drive out to the Bad Lands should take us a day, maybe two. Hopefully we'll be able to extract Skye without confrontation, but we have the firepower to engage in battle with a force twice our size."

That was Taylor's biggest concern. With only twelve folks on this rescue mission, they were going to more likely than not, outnumbered and outgunned.

"Has anyone else come forward to volunteer?"

"So far, only one, Jones, who is at the last outpost. We already have someone who is willing to replace him, we just need to switch them out. We'll also be doing a final sweep of the colony before we move out."

"Good work Reynolds, but I think we should get one more of our vehicles into the mix. Can't be too careful, and the last thing we need is to be stranded outside the fence."

Reynolds felt a wave of guilt hit him for second guessing on the number of vehicles they should use but he didn't allow himself to wallow, instead, he saluted the officer before rectifying the misjudgment.

Taylor gave a heavy sigh as he turned back to overlook the convoy when he spotted the young Shannon girls approaching the scene, bringing an honest smile to the old mans face.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite future recruit, Zoe Shannon." He exclaimed kneeling before the young girl. "When am I going to get to see you out on the firing range?"

Zoe giggle shaking her head. "Commander Taylor, I'm not old enough!"

Maddy smiled knowing this was one of the Commander's favorite jokes. "Besides, I'm pretty sure the rifles are bigger than her."

"That they are." Taylor said with a grin as he rose to his full height once more. "I assume that you are here to see Reynolds off?" There was no denying that the Maddy was head over heels for Reynolds, and thankfully the feeling was mutual in that pairing. If the colony did have a prom or formal dance of any kind, there was a guarantee that those two would be crowned king and queen of the event.

"He is still going, isn't he? Not that I'm worried, it's just that as long as there was a team heading out in that direction maybe he could take some samples or photos. There still is a lot out there that we don't know about this planet, and there is the matter of that prow- "but Taylor was already shaking his head.

"Unfortunately, Maddy, this is no place for scientific research, we can consider the prow and anything else out there that is out of the ordinary, but our first and only objective is getting Skye back. I hope you understand."

Maddy held up her hands in defense nodding furiously.

"I understand, think nothing of what I said, but, do you think you could keep an eye on Zoe for a minute? I just want to say goodbye to Mark."

Taylor couldn't deny time with the youngest Shannon, not allowing Maddy some privacy with Reynolds before he departed. Bending at the waist, the commander hoisted the child up into his arms and nodding the budding woman off and he continued to survey the vehicles with Zoe in his arms.

"Commander Taylor, are you really going to bring Skye back?"

"That's the plan little lady."

"I hope she is okay." The child said with pout. Indeed, he hoped the same.

When the blood on the rock walls out at Snakehead turned out to be the blood of a predator, Taylor felt relief but it was short lived. His boy had a nasty temper and held grudges without so much as a second thought. Maybe Skye would have been better off executed at Snakehead over being taken prisoner. Whatever happened to her, Taylor vowed to ensure Lucas would be punished for it. Ten fold.

"I hope so too, Zoe, I hope so too…" Commander Taylor whispered standing in front of the gate, his mind racing with the possibilities that lay ahead for the team, Skye, and the enemies they faced, not knowing that behind him, Josh Shannon slipped into the bed of the supply truck.


	8. Prowl

**Prowl [proul] Verb;**

 *** to rove or go about stealthily, as in search of prey, something to steal, etc.**

 *** to rove over or through in search of what may be found**

Lucas slaved over the communications system for hours. All the calculations were correct, the systems to speak were still within means of operation, and it wasn't that 2149 wasn't there, he could pick up radio frequencies, but when he tuned into the channel to speak to his employers all he got was static.

"Shannon, what did you do.." Lucas grumbled sitting back in the chair, running his hands over his face. If he didn't have his own agenda to see through, he would have jumped back to 2149 to prevent any of the Shannon's getting on the list to begin with, the whole lot of them caused nothing but headaches for him.

He removed his hands from his face and observed the blue screen once more, his mind running over the list of possibilities.

Hope Plaza was destroyed, the most likely scenario, his father did pick up one of the detonators meant to strip the earth to mine the precious minerals, but that wouldn't account for the communications system.

Maybe all of his employers were killed in the retaliation strike? If so, good riddance, a bunch of filthy rich pricks who all exceeded well beyond their expiration dates. He could see them all rushing to Hope Plaza to see what Weaver brought them, ready to take all the credit which they could, after all, they paid for the damn trip.

He didn't say why that got under his skin. It shouldn't since he was not after the wealth nor credit that he would receive from his troubles. He signed on only to get his hands on the portal and its capabilities.

He glanced up to take in the view of the desert and the scrap yard it had become, the sun was nearly setting and he was no closer true success. He would have loved to continue on with his plans, to just test his theory on Mira and go on to correct his father's mistake, but with the way the time line was, it would be a shot in the dark.

There was no telling where this junk was coming from, for all he knew, these crafts could all be from the same universe they came from, or each from a separate timeline. His employers knew that could be a possibility, otherwise they would have never sent orders to search these grounds in the first place.

Lucas's mind began to rack with questions, theories, and fears when a voice broke his train of thoughts.

"Only you, Lucas Taylor, would be able to pull this off-" came a familiar voice, making Lucas nearly jump out of his chair to respond to the transmission.

"Well Mr. President, it's all for you." Lied the physicist, earning a laugh from the man on the other side of time. "Is Hope Plaza operational?" Lucas was left with lengthy amount of silence, which told him one of his fears. He triggered for communication again.

"Is the link still intact?" Lucas asked, his voice more urgent now, but he still met silence. "What is going on over there?!" He shouted, no longer having patience for the one-sided conversation.

"Hope Plaza, was destroyed. A terrorist left a bomb in the facility, a radical who believed that it is the will of God to allow life on earth to cease and not find redemption. Or at least that is what the media is reporting." The male's firm voice responded. "However, I would like to know, how is it that one of the devices meant to strip Terra Nova managed to be brought back? The bomb obviously wasn't a dud, so tell me, Dr. Taylor, how did this happen?"

Lucas Taylor sighed throwing his head back, keeping his tongue on a tight leash he mulled over his next sentence carefully.

"We were met with resistance from my father, a flame I intend to put out shortly,"

"Your father is still alive?" hissed the voice on the other line. "You were supplied with the greatest army the world has ever seen and you can't even end your old man?" Lucas felt his jaw click, the transmitter right next to his mouth.

"If it is the greatest military force for 2149, I assure you it doesn't mean shit out here." Lucas's eyes watched as the last light from the sun slowly fade behind a sand dune. "We all underestimated my father and his followers, but that doesn't matter now, so unless if you are going to come out here to relieve me of this God-awful position, may I suggest we get back to the issue at hand?"

More silence.

Lucas was ready to give up on the Commander in Chief and 2149 altogether. He didn't need the push back from every corner of the ring he was fighting in.

"Is the link functionable? Can it be salvaged? Because I'm telling you right now, this might not be the only Goldmine for you to claim, President Byers." Lucas noted, trying to entice the answer he was seeking now rather than force it.

"We have our best minds on it. The connection is still there, it's weak, but we can bring you back and send in reinforcements."

"How soon will it be ready?"

"Not for another week, and that is best case scenario."

Lucas cursed slamming his fist up against a nearby wall. He had two days at best before his father came to the Wreck Yard. He bit at his tongue before his spoke up again.

"It needs to be done sooner than that. I needed this tonight."

"Well, Dr. Taylor, we needed those ores and minerals five years ago. I would suggest that you spend your time wisely, because once that connection is established, I expect to have shipments available. Are we clear, Dr. Lucas."

Now it was Lucas's turn to reply with silence, only his silence was indefinite. Leaving the main deck of the ship, Lucas escaped the no longer sea worth ship. He had to devise a plan, and fast.

Prepare the camp for an attack? Mira wouldn't go for it. She'd go to option B, dropping off Skye's corpse where the desert began to ward off his father. More people would side with that option, but if Tate was dead, there would be no room for a mercy deal, and they would end up with a fire fight still.

He couldn't lose the arch, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give up Skye to his father so she could warn them of the semi functioning portal, but he'd be damned if he let her fall prey to his side. He pinched the bridge of his nose, running over the best route to take from here.

One week, if everything went according to plan. There wasn't a single doubt in his mind, his father was coming for her, but there was the question of who else was tagging along. Shannon? A dozen soldiers, or half of the colony? He needed to get into contact with the lookouts posted just at the edge of the Bad Lands. Depending on the forces his father brought in tow, he'd either allow a fire fight, or attempt to lead his father away to buy more time.

Walking back to his tent he nodded to Barns standing before the entrance way.

"How is our guest?"

"Quiet. She put up a fight earlier, but she has calmed down. She might be sleeping. Hasn't made a sound in a couple of hours."

For Lucas, this report was anything but comforting. When the girl was 'cooperative' she was actually up to something.

Storming into the tent he found himself alone until Barns walked in after him, who turned pale at the revelation.

"Sir, I'm so-"

"Don't! Just don't..." Lucas growled as he inspected the area from where he stood. Like the thief she was, she slipped out in the cover of darkness, a small slice made in the back. She must have taken one of his souvenirs from the nyko that slashed him to make that exit, but she took more.

He went over to his make shift desk, pieces of wood from one of the old sailing ships, finding the surface to be more bare than normal.

"Clever girl.. she took my notes…" He whispered to himself.

"Sir, should I sound the alarm?"

"No.! No- No need for that. If our guest wants to play games, I'll play." He stated reaching for his jacket only to find that it was missing as well. "Son of a bitch!" He said with a laugh. "She really cleaned up."

Moving to the tear he observed that foot steps could still be found, for now. Knowing his luck a sand storm would sweep her trail away, but for now, he had a lead. She may have been out for the whole ride out to the Bad Lands, but her survival skills were in check, the trail she left was in the direction of the colony.

If they were in the jungle he would be panicking, but on foot it would take the girl a month to walk back to camp, and that was if she managed to be unscathed by every predator from here to the colony.

"What vehicles do we have that aren't out of commission?" Lucas asked as he glanced over what was left of his property. "Tell me we have one of those jeeps up and running-"The less attention he could draw on the situation, the better, .

"Last I checked, at least two are operational."

Good, he thought, knowing that he could have Skye back before sun up and no one would know she was gone in the first place. To have a traitor in their territory was bad enough for the sixers, but for them to escape? If Mira found out, she'd have a field day, but anyone else might take justice into their own hands.

"If anyone asks where I went, tell them I'm taking our guest on a tour of the badlands." Lucas ordered preparing to exit the tent when Barns grabbed his arms to stop him.

"Sir, what if you don't come back?"

Lucas paused at the question. He had survived so much, the narcissist in him actually believed death was never going to have its way with him, but it was a serious question. The predators out here were not as easily deterred out here, given the environment. Between the sixers and Phoenix group, eight people had been taken out from the carnivorous creatures.

In the jungle, escaping was possible. You could climb out of reach, mask your scent, hide, but here in the desert, your only option was to run.

"If I'm not back by noon, someone will need to lead my father away from this place. Make sure that happens if I don't come back in time." He replied, and with that he left to track down Skye, hoping that he reached her before something else did.

* * *

Skye glanced up at the stars above her, both in awe and for guidance. Her father taught her some of the constellations. She always found her way back home because of it, and connected her back to her dad.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, she felt she could breathe with ease with the distance she put between herself and Lucas's camp. She had to get back to the Commander, warn the colony and let everyone know she was alright.

She didn't have a clue that Lucas left a note for his father, for all she knew, she could have been assumed dead. Hell, she wasn't out of the woods yet, or in her case the desert.

Within the first mile she understood why this place was deemed THE Bad Lands, no food or water in sight, each step in the sand took twice the effort as solid ground and then there was the climate. In hours of daylight the air was hot enough to cook you but once the sun set the air chilled you right down to the bone.

She clutched Lucas's jacket closer to her frame, the sleeves engulfing her hands and the sides falling past her knees. She could hear her father's voice in her head now, recalling when she would play army, wearing a bucket on her head and a uniform blouse.

"Bucket, your swimming in that!" rang his voice in her head.

Lucas's musk invaded her nostrils, triggering a new memory. She wanted to gag at the past event of her barter for Josh's release, back when the colony was underneath the control of Lucas and the mercenary group.

She shivered, from thought and from the wind at her back.

"Just get home," Skye whispered to herself. "Get home, and put this nightmare behind you."

Placing one foot in front of the other, safety felt more tangible putting the distance between herself and the enemy camp, as well as being another step closer to home. She didn't know how far of a distance she would have to travel to get home, she only knew that was her only option at this point.

Marching along a ridge of a sand dune, Skye couldn't help but to check her shoulder, ensuring she wasn't being followed. She got lucky, had anyone else been ordered to stand watch over her, she'd still be back in that tent, and whatever Lucas was up to, it bought her ample amount of time to make her escape.

Luck, however, had a habit of running out, especially when one needed it most.

Checking over her shoulder she thought it had been a trick of her surroundings, but for the past mile, she had been tracked by something. Had Josh's sister, Maddy, been here, she would have been able to classify the beast, scientific name and all, but Skye already knew all she needed.

It was big, and it was hungry.

For the time being, Skye kept herself composed. The large predator was in the stalking phase of the hunt, if she ran now, it would only spark a chase, a race she would not win. How long would it be before the beast gave in to its desire to feed? She couldn't say, and by the looks of things, he hopes of getting away were slim. Very slim.

With a hand in the pocket of Lucas's jacket, she wrapped her hands around the nyko claw. It was sharp, but one measly claw wouldn't stand a chance against the jaws of the creature on her tail. Oh, what she would give for that gun Boylan tried to trade her now.

She felt her entire body tense as the predator sounded off with a roar and Skye took off in a sprint, pure adrenaline pulsating through her as the predator charged after her. Looking back, Skye felt her heart leap into her throat, the carnivore treaded the sand swifter than she had hoped and was only a few only a few clicks behind her now.

Skye turned her attention back to her front just in time to stumble down the edge of a sand dune, rolling head over heels several times, the predator hesitated on chasing her down, not wanting to share a similar fate.

Once at the bottom and Skye came to a halt she spotted the first bit of shelter she had seen since leaving the enemy camp. It was the boney remains of another carnivore. Skye wasted no time, bolting for the protection of the skull of what looked to be a spinosaurus, as the carno was making its way down the side of the dune.

Bracing herself against the inner walls of the remains Skye held back her screams as the beast nudged its snout into one of the eye cavities, unable to open its jaws to the fullest extent, the carno snorted in frustration and removed itself to figure out how to retrieve the prey.

Skye's heart pounded within her chest. She was as good as dead.

* * *

Skye was as good as dead in Lucas's mind. She was really adding up to be more trouble than she was worth. Betraying him to his father was an automatic death sentence for anyone, yet she did it on more than one occasion, and she came closer to killing him than any parasite on this forsaken rock had, yet she continued to live.

And continued to escape.

Riding alongside the tracks Skye left behind, anger quickly turned to dread spotting that something else was in pursuit of the troublesome female. His foot slammed against the gas pedal, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the rifle in the passenger seat, his jaw clenched tight thinking of the realistic possibility that not only would the girl become a midnight snack, but his calculations would be on the menu with her.

A scream ripped out into the cool desert air, and Lucas cursed that the damn vehicle couldn't go any faster, but he was close.

Skye cried out as the dinosaur changed its tactics, using its claws to fish her out from the skull. It's razor sharp talons slicing her back clean. With fresh blood now in the air, the predator only grew more aggressive, ready to devour its prey.

The claws moved to scrape at the insides of the skull once more when shots rang out. The carnivore's attention now focused on the sound of gun fire, giving Skye a brief moment of hope that she would survive the night after all.

Gunfire continued to go off, and she swore she heard a few of the rounds penetrate flesh, but it didn't sound like any kill shots. It was no more than a minute before the predator bellowed in pain, giving up on its meal and fled to live another day.

Even when Skye heard the creature's steps fade into the distance she refused to move from the skull that protected her. Now that the fight or flight mindset was wearing thin, she felt her injuries now at full capacity. She was unsure of the amount of blood she lost, but for the time being she felt that she was capable of surviving.

A bright light soon assaulted her vision. Holding up her hands to shield her eyes from the blinding light she was ripped from her hiding spot and thrown to the sandy floor. She didn't have to ask who her 'rescuer' was, and now she questioned if she would indeed survive the night.

"You're a real handful, you know that, Bucket?" Lucas hissed seizing his bag from her, the strap essentially sliced clean. He paused seeing the blood on the strap then scanned her form looking for the source of the blood.

The jacket she took from him was soaked with her blood, three long gashes from her right shoulder down to her left hip. She had yet to move from where he threw her down.

Cursing something underneath his breath he knelt beside her. It would scar, that much was certain, but he wasn't sure how bad the damage was. After his close encounter with the Nyko who left him with his own wounds, he was bed ridden for nearly two days from pain and blood loss, and here was Skye with an injury three times the size.

His hands moved to further inspect the gashes when Skye suddenly rolled over to swipe out at him with his nyko claw. She was fast, but he was faster.

Lucas had the female's arms pinned to the ground, both her wrists above her head. Anchoring her waist to the ground with his legs. He wasn't sure if he should laugh or scream at the girl as she attempted to buck him off.

"Pathetic-" He whispered, enraging the female below him as she now began to kick and scream. Cursing, Lucas wrapped one hand around both of her wrists and a hand now covered her mouth.

"Do you want that thing to come back?" He asked. If looks could kill, it would be a close death match for the pair both had their eyes boring into each other's skull. Lucas slowly removed his hand to allow Skye to respond.

"If it eats you, sure-"she muttered, still wriggling beneath him. Now Lucas let out a chuckle as he retrieved the nyko from her grasp and pressed the tip to her throat.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't leave you to bleed out here."

Skye wasn't afraid to die. He knew that. She would fight to survive, but she was a true rebel. Willing to risk everything in what she saw to be right.

"If you were going to kill me, you would have done it by now."

Lucas's jaw clicked at the statement. It was true. He had nothing to gain from her death at the moment. She was both bait and a plea bargain for his father, and if she died here, tonight, then it would be only to satisfy his frustration with her.

He removed himself from her and swiped his bag from the ground. She was irritating at best these days, but he recalled of a point in time when he wanted nothing more than to keep her beneath him in bed, moaning out his name. That of course had been after she persuaded him to keep the Shannon boy alive.

A lot has happened since those few minutes in heaven.

"Get in the car-" he snapped. Skye was still lying in the sand, her hair flushed out beneath her.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Skye mocked, knowing she still had something to offer. Bait for his father perhaps.

"I won't," Lucas responded opening the driver side door. "But he might-"

Sky sat up to take a look behind her. It was hard to see, but she could find the outline of the carno that attacked her. It had back tracked, ready to make a second attempt. Skye needed no other answer. Being served up as dinner would do good for no one.

She tried to mask her pain, but Lucas could clearly see she was feeling agony. He'd patch her up once they were a safe distance away from the predator, but he could help but feel satisfaction of her current state of suffering.

Once they were both seated Lucas took off, checking the rear-view mirror every few moments to ensure that they weren't followed. He might have the fire power to keep the beast at bay, but with night upon them, the solar battery wouldn't have enough juice to outrun the carno.

* * *

 _ **Thank you everyone who is still following this fic, I'm going to try to wrap it up before the summer is out because once the fall semester starts up I can't promise my dedication to this story. I know a lot of you are waiting for that full on Lucket scene. It's coming, I promise. As always, I'm a whore for reviews.**_


	9. Enlist

**Enlist [en-list] Verb;**

 **\- to enroll, usually voluntarily, for military service**

 **\- to enter in some cause, enterprise, etc.**

Skye shifted in her seat uneasily staring out of the passenger side window. Silently she moved her hands to check out her wounds, at least the portion she could see. Her finger glided against the tender and exposed flesh of her hip, wincing as she did so. She pushed down the urge to yelp, but Lucas was already aware of what she was up to.

"I told you to stop touching it." Lucas stated, not even glancing her way, avoiding the death stare the girl was undoubtedly giving him.

"We should have been back at your camp by now…" Skye muttered pressing her full weight against the car door. Sitting against the back of the seat was near unbearable for her. "I walked longer than this."

"Well, if I must spoil the surprise, Bucket, we aren't going back to the camp." He started glancing into the rearview mirror. The predator that attacked Skye gave up a while ago, but Lucas didn't want to take the risk of stopping once the threat was gone. He preferred the method of over kill these days.

Lucas stopped the vehicle and glanced to Skye who was watching him with that stare of hers. It wasn't curiosity. No, she was too stubborn to be curious, calculating was more like it. He opened his door and hoped out to fetch the med kit from the back.

"Where are we going?" Skye asked.

"We're stopping here for a few hours. I'll Fix you up, get a few hours of rest, and we'll head out again. Before the sun rises. Some of the best predators kill before the sun." Lucas replied with no intention of answering her question and he moved to her side. With her door still closed, she locked eyes with him through the window.

"Sounds like someone I know." Lucas tilted his head at the insult, and Skye continued. "Where are we going, Lucas?" Skye questioned again.

"Are you going to open the door, or do you want that thing to fester?" Lucas asked raising up his hands to show that were both occupied, holding the med kit and what looked like some rags.

Skye did her best to not roll her eyes as she opened the door for him, positioning herself so that she was now fulling facing him.

"Thank you. Now, take off that shirt."

Skye's eyes went wide and she shifted back, but Lucas pulled her closer to the edge after setting the kit and rags down on the car floor. Looking her in the eyes again, he needed to get her to understand. After all, she was no good to him dead.

"I can't clean it up if I can't see it all." Lucas said calmly, fully aware where her mind went. "It's your back I need to see, Bucket. So come on. Get out, turn around and we can both be done with this."

Skye hesitated but didn't want to fight. How could she? She had seen what happened to wounds that went untreated out here. She inched down from her seat, and came down to touch the sandy floor. She eyed the med kit briefly. If she was back in the colony, she'd be on one of those beds with Josh's mom operating the system. Scars wouldn't even be left.

But what Lucas held in his hands looked to come from one of those ship wrecks. She bit at her lip and knew what was to come.

"Do you have any pills? Pain killers?" She asked as she peeled off his jacket. He shook his head but pulled out a flask from his back pocket.

"That's the best I got." He whispered as she took it from his hand and unscrewed the top. The stench of bourbon hit her, but she took a swing, knowing that the sting in the back of her throat would be the easiest part about all of this. She savored and detested that taste all at once.

Handing it back with teary eyes, Lucas held up his hand.

"Oh no, you're going to need more than that, Bucket. Drink."

Again, Skye didn't argue. She took another hit and closed up the flask, placing it on the car seat as she turned around. Straightening out her frame, she braced herself as she pulled off her shirt. The entire back of the shirt was stained in blood.

Lucas's eyes narrowed to focus on the wounds. It was bad, but it could have been so much worse. The lacerations really only grazed the surface, and it was sheer luck she didn't need stitches, but this still wouldn't be pleasant. They had to clean out the cuts, and the road for healing these wounds would take time.

Cracking open the med kit, he pulled out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Her wounds were deep and needed cleaning as well as pressure, but with a limit on water, this was the best option that they had. He threw down one of the rags in front of her.

"If you need to bite down on something…" he said opening up the peroxide. "I'd take another dink if I were you-" but Skye shook her head.

"Just do it already." She snapped, making Lucas smirk.

"As you wish." He splashed the liquid over her back and Skye felt as though her flesh was on fire.

She screamed but did not cry.

...

...

...

* * *

Commander Taylor's convoy was at the edge of where the landscape of dense jungle transformed in fields, the desert only miles away now. They would be in the Badlands this time tomorrow, but before anyone went rushing in, Taylor wanted his men well rested.

They couldn't afford to mess this up. Not so much as a misstep.

Taylor stared out into the distance, wondering what Skye's condition was, what Lucas was up too- if the sixers and damn mercs were still co existing.

All those questions went out the window when he heard the sound of equipment crashing behind one of the vehicles.

"To hell, you all know that we can't treat our gear like we can replace it, because we can't!" shouted the commander as he rounded the rear to find some lesser essential gear piled around the figure of Josh Shannon.

"Dammit boy! What are you doing out here!"

"Same thing as you, I'm here to rescue Skye!" Josh shouted back, clearly not afraid of any repercussions at this point. "I should have been there with her, I should have-"

"If you were with her, Josh, I assure you that it would have been your blood on the rock wall." At this point, essentially the whole team was surrounding the pair. "Christ, do your parents have any idea where you are?"

"I'm not a kid, okay? I not scared of these guys, and I'm not going back without Skye!" Josh said glancing around. "Hell, Mark only has a few months on me, why am I not qualified to get into this fight?"

"Because, boy," Taylor reinforced again. "You haven't been trained- you aren't prepared to engage the enemy by any standards, and clearly you lack discipline, something that I would think your father would agree on!" Taylor shook his head. They past the last tower hours ago, so they were well out of communication range for the colony.

Josh was stuck with them now, going back would only cut into the chances of saving Skye. He was furious to say the least. He understood why Josh would make such a risk, but frankly the boy clearly did not take after his mother in the intelligence department.

"You're to stay with a vehicle at all times. You're not to interfere with any of our operations."

"What if I enlist?" Josh asked, which was possibly the least appealing thing to Taylor right now.

"And have your parents get on my case when- no. If. If we get back to the colony? Oh no- I don't think so-.." Josh began shaking his head.

"They don't have a say anymore as to what I can and can't do-" Josh argued. "I'm 18, I'll be 19 in another month." Glancing around at the crowd around them, Josh realized while he may be the youngest one here, but it was only by months. "If you let me help- I'll enlist. Right here. Right now."

Taylor cocked his head to the side. The boy had potential, but damn was he rough around the edges, although, his father was also rather unconventional, and he continued to prove his worth. He glanced around to his men. While it was a military force, Taylor disliked making decisions that put his men in an odd spot.

"Well men? What do you all say? Who among you would be willing to fight alongside the young Shannon?" Taylor asked now circling Josh. "Who here, would want to stand beside Josh while he has a firearm?"

"I can shoot." Josh firmly stated, catching Taylor's attention once again. "My dad use to take me to the firing range before we came here. It's been awhile, but I'm a decent shot."

Taylor couldn't help but smile. This family was full of surprises. Glancing to Reynolds he gave him a nod.

"What do you think? Would you fight alongside Maddy's brother?"

Reynolds lifted his chin, finding anyone who took the military more seriously was a lost cause. Reynolds lived for this.

"I would."

Taylor sighed and nodded.

"Very well- Shannon. Raise your right hand and repeat after me-"

…

...

...

* * *

 _ **Sorry for that promise I made last month. I took an online class and it was clearly more than I bargained for. I'll try to post another chapter before the week is out.**_


	10. Risk

**Risk [risk] noun;**

 **\- exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance**

 **\- Insurance**

Lucas woke from the same damn nightmare he had every night since Somalia.

He once woke to the world in fits of terror, outrage or just breaking out into uncontrollable sobbing, but after suffering from the same images over the course of a decade, he was as calm as could be. He knew outright he couldn't call what went on in his mind nightmares.

No. This was the reality he had to live with. The painful reality of his mother's gruesome and unjustified death.

He shifted his body to check on his prisoner.

Skye slept on her stomach in the back of the jeep, Lucas's jacket draped over her bare back, though seeing that it was her blood embedded in the clothing, he considered it her property now. Lucas continued to survey the young woman from the driver's seat longer than he should have.

A part of him pitied the young woman and the wounds her body now bore. Perhaps she would find the same respect for her scars as he saw in his. Evidence that she was a survivor in every sense of the word. Both of them came close to death, attacks delivered from the worst this God forsaken rock had to offer. He'd argue that he was thriving where most would just roll over and die, and if he knew her at all, he ventured to say she would continue to live just as well.

Of course, if he got his way, Skye would have never been placed in that situation. Never would have been kidnapped. Hell, there was even the possibility she wouldn't even be born. He doubted that his interference with the events of Somalia in August of 2138 would alter her life, but who knew. Maybe the philosophers on that Butterfly Effect were correct. Only time would tell and it was his mission to change it.

Skye began to stir, her face twisting, displaying obvious pain.

"Good morning princess, so nice of you to rejoin the world of the living." Lucas teased.

Sky wanted nothing more than to roll away from his gaze, but the tender flesh on her back made her hesitate moving in general. At the very least, she could tell that the scabs were beginning to form. Pushing herself up from prone, she knelt in the back of the jeep looking at their surroundings.

"You never told me where we are going."

Lucas chuckled turning his body to the steering wheel.

"If you must know. We are going to find my father. I imagine he's not too far from here now." He said casting a glance over his shoulder to catch her in a state of shock. "I need him to stay out of my plans, so best way to get him to stand down is to hand you back."

Skye found this tactic hard to believe. She found it even harder for Commander Taylor to just let bygones be bygones as well. If Lucas was willing to walk right into his father's hands, she wouldn't stop him- not unless it put the colony at risk.

"What's the catch?" Skye asked making the man shrug.

"No catch. He takes you back and leaves me the hell alone. What's not to get?" He asked in reply, but Skye knew that smile he wore all too well. The same grin he wore that came with all of his threats.

"That portal is working again. I can't let you destroy my home. Our home." Skye said lifting up her chin, Lucas threw his head back in laughter.

"And let me guess, you're going to stop me?"

"If I have to, yes." Skye said in a hushed tone, but Lucas was no longer smiling. She was serious, and he had two bullet holes in his chest that prevented him from betting against her now.

"I should have let that thing eat you-" Lucas muttered starting up the engine. Skye remained in the back, hardly mortified by his response.

"And I should have aimed for your head." Skye shot back, earning a cold glare from Lucas, their eyes locking momentarily until Lucas broke the line of sight.

"Easy there, Bucket. Keep that attitude up, and I might just keep you along for the ride…" He tested before putting his foot to the pedal and steered towards the direction of the colony.

….

…..

…..

* * *

Mira slammed her palms down upon a makeshift desk, glaring across at the Phoenix soldier, practically seething.

"What do you mean they're gone?" She asked in a hiss. What was once a mess hall upon a naval ship now served as an open area for the Sixers and mercenary team, the room filled with most of the remaining survivors. Barnes stood across from Mira, wearing a black eye now.

"I mean gone- They left last night." Barnes repeated, glares and scowls were presented to him by his peers. "The prisoner escaped, so Dr. Taylor went after her."

"If he is dead, you do realize that we are essentially stuck here for good. In order to get that portal up, we need the calculations to ensure the portal is lined up correctly and-"

"He already wrote down the calculations!"

"And tell us, Private," a higher ranking soldier called out from the crowd. "Where are those calculations?" Barnes hesitated now.

"… The girl took them." Groans echoed in the room now. Mira knew she should have ended that two faced little bitch when she had the chance.

"Do you have any idea where they could have gone off too?" Mira asked looking up to the nervous man. "What direction we can start searching?"

Barnes nodded frantically.

"The prisoner made a slit in the back of the tent. She was heading west I believe!"

Obviously she was heading back for the colony, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Lucas went after her over 12 hours ago, and while the Badlands seemed endless, they weren't. If he caught up to her by means of a vehicle, it meant he should have been back by now. A wide array of possibilities were open now, only most of them had the same result.

Most likely the pair of them were dead and the rest of them were stuck on this rock, forever.

Mira reached for her knife, ready to stab someone when Hooper entered the room. Aside from Lucas and herself, Lieutenant Hooper was one of the foremost respected, or at least feared leaders of the two conjoined groups. He nodded in her direction and she stilled her hand.

Moving across the room, he drew her in close to whisper.

"The President wants to speak to you."

Mira could hardly believe her ears. She didn't even know who was president now, but she didn't give a damn if any person with a title wanted her as an audience. The only person she wanted to speak to was Lucas to ask him if he lost his mind. Given the predicament however, she had no room to object.

Following Hooper to the bridge of the ship, Mira moved to the arch and picked up the communications device.

"You wanted to speak to me, Mr. President?" Mira asked coldly, expecting to hear the voice of an old bitter man.

"I miss you mommy." Came the voice of a young girl, no older than eight. Mira's walls came crashing down around her and she could hardly stand on her own.

"Sienna? Baby?" She asked, tears flowing freely as she gripped the communication device as if her life depended on it.

"When are you coming home mommy?" the voice asked in pure innocence.

"Soon baby, real soon. I miss you too pumpkin. Can you tell me how old you are? Are they taking care of you?" Mira asked using the side of the arch as support. "Talk to me sweetie."

"I assure you, Miss Jackson, your daughter is well. For the time being at least." Came the voice of an unfamiliar male now. Her heart wrenched at the sudden arrival and departure of the only thing she cared for.

"Put my daughter back on, I want to hear it from her." Mira growled, triggering a laugh from the other end.

"And people wonder why more women aren't in elected offices." Replied the President. "I'm sorry Miss Jackson, but you haven't earned the privilege of phone time with your child. We expected you to have had taken the colony years ago- but no matter. I have a new task for you and your bandits."

Mira wiped the tears from her eyes in anger, watching Hooper closely who looked over the room with little interest. Whatever news she was getting, he had already been informed.

"What can I do for you, Mr. President?"

"The Lieutenant informed me of the situation at hand. It seems that the man my constituents have invested in is unfit to see our project to the end. What I am asking you is a difficult task and-"

"If you want me to kill him, consider him a dead man already." She swore she could hear a smile crack on the other side of the line after she spoke.

"Well, hopefully it won't come to that, but that may be our only choice. We need the calculations, as I am sure you are already aware. Lucas Taylor is far more valuable to us alive, but he is no longer considered a viable member of our project. Return him to your possession by any means necessary."

"And if he becomes combative? Lucas Taylor is his father's son in many respects."

"Well, Miss Jackson, I have lost all respect for the pair of them." Came President Byers. "If you are unable to control the man, do what you must, As long as we have the calculation to lock in our time rift with yours, we'll consider that a success."

Mira noted that while Lucas may have written down the formula to connect the portal, it is still better to keep the source alive.

"I'll make sure our Doctor is restrained this time around." Mira stated, flashing a glance at Hooper who was now surveying her with the same steady glance.

"Excellent to hear. I look forward to hearing of your progress. Our engineers should have the arch way operational in as little as five days. Do have him back before then."

Mira opened her mouth to respond, but the link was severed, she suspected on purpose.

"We're to bring him back. Just him, is that understood?" Hooper asked watching Mira who could only smile.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Mira whispered setting down the communication device. She noticed that she was still shaking. Hearing her daughter- she was unsure if it was a motivation tactic or used to instill fear. Both most likely.

"I did a look over on the equipment, and I have reason to suspect that Dr. Taylor may have a radio on him. It's not turned on just yet, but I have my men listening for him.

"If he does, I can tell you he is most likely planning a suicide mission against his father." Mira muttered moving away from the arch. "So, question is, your team or mine?"

Hooper scratched at his freshly shaven jaw line. "Well- That is entirely his call. I expect he'll request my men- so I doubt he'd expect yours to ensnare him." Mira could only smile at Hooper's suggestion.

"If we are lucky, maybe we can take both the Taylor's down." Mira pondered by the LT shook his head. "It isn't worth the risk. Lucas Taylor is our only objective. Besides, it's not like his old man is fond of him these days."

Mira gave a nod. He was right and it was for the best. Grab Lucas and get out of dodge before anyone else could intervene. If things went as they should, she could see her daughter in a week. That was not something she would allow to lose again.

…

….

…

* * *

Lucas came to a stop on the outskirts of the desert. Opening the glove compartment, Lucas pulled out a pair of binoculars and peered into the scopes. The coast looked clear, but for all he knew, his father and his men could be barreling out of the trees any given moment.

Setting the binoculars on the dash, Lucas cast a glance back to Skye, trying to figure out what would buy him the most time. Digging around the glove box again, he pulled out a hand radio, which he kept the turned off to spare both his patience and ears. He figured by now, Mira was most likely pissed to learn that he was roaming the Badlands this close to victory.

Hell, the whole camp must be ready to burn him at this point.

Skye stayed in back, quiet since they both spoke their regrets of not letting each other die. He preferred the silence. When he captured his father's camp and took Jim Shannon as a captive, the man got under his skin, nearly in his head with the interview questions he was pulling up.

Who would have thought that the sheriff of Terra Nova really was what the make or break of the entire plot. The whole clan of Shannon's really. The mother, the two young females weren't much of a concern at this point, but the boy was more trouble than he was worth.

Skye was a lot like him in many ways. Smart, sneaky, or just cunning really, but she was good at isolating herself, and the fact that she was putting her neck on the line for the Shannon boy not once but twice ate at him.

"You like that kid, don't you?" Lucas asked peering into the rear view mirror to hold eye contact with Skye who was startled by the break of silence. "What's his name, Joe?"

"Josh," Skye corrected, "and no. We're just friends."

Lucas shook his head with a grin turning his attention ahead of him.

"I think you're lying Bucket, if you didn't care for him at some capacity, we wouldn't be here right now." He stated as the jeep began to drive underneath the cover of some trees. Skye scoffed at the remark.

"I did it because Josh has been through enough. His girlfriend was killed when your friends showed up to take over the colony."

"I don't have any friends," Lucas said plainly.

"Gee, I wonder why that is." Skye's voice was thick with sarcasm, which drew Lucas's eyes upon the rearview mirror again briefly, but he kept his temper in check. Picking up the radio he turned it on and onto the right frequency.

"Hooper, are you there?" Clearly Hooper and his men were hovering over the communications table because he got an instant response.

"Dr. Taylor, where are you? We've receive word that the time table has been moved up a day, maybe closer if nothing gets out of hand back in our time."

Lucas felt a genuine smile creep along his face. Guess he got through to the president after all.

"That is good news. I'm not far off from where the sixer camp was once, going to make a trade with my father. The girl for some peace and quiet. For now anyway."

Lucas could feel the tension even in the radio silence.

"Sir, I don't think that is a good idea- your father might not let you go."

"Maybe I won't let him go." Lucas retorted, but there was no selling the LT here.

"Sir, what are your coordinates. We can arrange a meeting with your father and deliver the girl back without risking your wellbeing."

"I'm touched Hooper, really, but there is no need. I know my father better than anyone. He wouldn't dare risk bringing anyone else if I threaten her life." His eyes shooting to the rearview mirror and catching those blue eyes which betrayed her emotions every time.

"Sir, with all due respect, we can't risk it. At least tell us your coordinates so we can provide security nearby."

Lucas thought in silence. He was aware how important he was to a great deal of people, but it was unusual for anyone to question him more than once. The circumstances however played a larger role in the persistence of Lieutenant Hooper.

"As soon as I set up a deal with my father, I will reach out to you. It's about a six hour drive so I'd start now." He stated before turning off his radio.

Skye stared at Lucas who's focus was on what laid ahead of him.

"I thought that com links were dead past the last guard post." Skye whispered.

"They are, but that naval ship and the college dropout changed all that." Lucas replied looking over his shoulder. "Are you ready to see our old man?"

….

…

…..

* * *

Commander Taylor surveyed over his men as the soldiers began to pack up the camp. With plenty of rest and a firm battle plan to go off of, the military man felt confident that they would succeed in over taking the sixer and Phoenix camp. They would drive in under the cover of night, surround whatever make shift camp they set up and extract Skye.

"Make sure we fill up our water containers to the brim, Shannon, there is no telling when the next source of water will come our way." Ordered the commander to Josh who was now clad in the same uniform as the rest of them now, spare sets were always close at hand, though with the gate way closed, using the material for anything other than as a uniform was out of the question.

Josh sighed moving to the back of one of the vehicles, dragging out one of the water coolers. "You know, when I raised my hand, I thought I was going to be holding post, security and that stuff." Mumbled the fresh recruit which made Taylor smile.

"Making sure your comrades are hydrated is a very important job, Josh. Everyone works, everyone pulls their weight, and everyone contributes. Don't forget that." He stated eyeing the boy who headed for the stream nearby when sounds of static filled the air, catching everyone's attention.

Taylor's first thoughts were that a meteor shower was passing overhead, interfering with the electric systems, but the sky was crystal clear.

Then his voice broke into the dazed crowd.

"I know you're out here old man, pick up the radio and talk to your only son!" Came Lucas's voice loud and clear.

"Or anybody really, I just have a proposition for the whole lot of you. It's not up for negotiation, but it's a pretty sweet deal- If everyone packs up and leaves right now except for my father, I will return the girl and we can all get on with our lives- well. All of us except my father of course."

Hardly anybody moved, too jarred to consider answering the commander's son. All eyes were on Taylor now as Lucas's voice continued to flare out from each of the vehicle radio systems.

"I know I can be a little intimidating, so how about I turn this over to someone who is a little more trust worthy. Well- slightly, given that she was a bit of a spy for a while." The radio went silent for a moment before a female voice came on over the radio waves.

"Commander Taylor?" Skye asked, her voice unsteady, making Taylor question her wellbeing. He made a step forward, but paused once Skye began speak again.

"The Arch is almost functional- forget about me! Take out the camp, it's-" Then the connection cut out.

A veil of uncertainty came over the militia now.

The portal wasn't closed off. Terra Nova was still at risk from 2149, and they had not even a quarter of their military force to stop it.


End file.
